Travel to USA / Prepaid SIM over there

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tcpdump

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Ultimate Geek

#104042 13-Jun-2012 20:06

Hello,

There are quite a few topics on this but most of them are old and some are very old ;)
What's the latest on this? I'm going over there for a month and I'll probably need a gig or two of data.

What are your recommendations on the provider and type of prepaid plan?

Thanks.

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#640379 13-Jun-2012 20:10

Depends on device you are taking

tcpdump

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Ultimate Geek

#640380 13-Jun-2012 20:12

Correct, sorry, I forgot to mention it's a Galaxy S2 so it has all the four WCDMA bands.

Thanks.

johnr

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#640381 13-Jun-2012 20:13

If you want 3G don't use T-mobile as the handset will only work on EDGE

eracode

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#640504 14-Jun-2012 08:39

We have recently returned from a month in the US. I took my iPad and wanted one month's data. I ended up going with AT&T and bought 5GB of data for USD50. 5GB was probably overkill but I did not want to run short because we were going to using the iPad for some of our navigation, etc. As it happened, I used about 3.9 GB. It worked flawlessly.

However I had a hassle when I returned to NZ on Sunday. I had told the guy in the AT&T shop that I was only there for a month and wanted just one month of data. On Monday I received an email from AT&T saying that my next month's payment had been successfully debited to my credit card. Clearly they were going to keep charging me every month. The problem then was that I could not contact them. Obviously couldn't use the data connection. Looked at their website and there's lots of contact phone numbers for various of their services - but they were all US 1-800 numbers (like our 0-800) which do not work from outside the US. There appears to be no way at all to call them if you are outside the US, even on a paid call.

I sent them a short email asking for a non 1-800 number and got a crap stock email reply. Clearly it was not going to happen.

Called my bank. They were very helpful but said that when the payment is by direct debit, the only way to stop it is by contacting the payee (unless you go through a 'disputed payments' process). They also said the second monthly payment of US$50 had been processed. Because I couldn't contact AT&T the only way I could put an end to all this was to cancel the relevant credit card and get a card with a new number. Then when AT&T try to debit the third monthly payment, it will fail because the card is no longer valid.

I now have my new credit card and spent a couple of hours yesterday advising various direct debit suppliers of the new card number.

All sorted now but this was trap and a lesson for a newbie. My 5GB ended up costing me US$100 plus a lot of hassle. Live and learn - I was probably naive but c'est la vie.

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freitasm

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#640507 14-Jun-2012 08:43

AT&T now has a $25 prepaid plan with unlimited calls and SMS - but you need to buy another $25 for 1GB mobile data. Total = US$50 for the package. Available for SIM and microSIM.

You don't have the $25 mobile data option on the cheap plans anymore.

I bought mine last week while there.

profrink

257 posts

Ultimate Geek

#640511 14-Jun-2012 08:49

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phone-plans/pyg-cell-phone-plans.jsp

Few different prepaid options at the above link.

Apparently the data on the $50 unlimited plan works with non AT&T smartphones (AKA with phones they don't have the IMEI for), which means you can get around having to add a data bundle.

Just buy a Go Phone SIM and activate/choose your plan. I'm leaving on the weekend for a month, so will update on whether this works.

freitasm

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#640513 14-Jun-2012 08:51

I was told in store the data does not work in smartphones, so I ended up buying $25 + $25 - have you actually used it?

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profrink

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Ultimate Geek

#640516 14-Jun-2012 08:58

freitasm: I was told in store the data does not work in smartphones, so I ended up buying $25 + $25 - have you actually used it?

Not personally. However I have talked to quite a few people who have been doing this for a while, residents and travelers.

General conscious has been that so long as you don't have the same smartphone model that AT&T have/do currently stock you can use it. It supposedly does an IMEI check when choosing the plan and since they don't have the IMEI's for international phones, it passes just like a standard handset would. Or you can just chuck in 1 x 15 too...

I'll update if I get it to work.

freitasm

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#640519 14-Jun-2012 09:01

Good, let us know... I bought the $25 + $25 and used only about 200MB over eight days. Didn't use the phone as a hotspot, but had emails, twitter and app updates going on.

Behodar

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#640521 14-Jun-2012 09:03

eracode: Looked at their website and there's lots of contact phone numbers for various of their services - but they were all US 1-800 numbers (like our 0-800) which do not work from outside the US.

You used to be able to call these by prefixing 0168 (e.g. 0168 1800 123 4567). I have no idea whether that still works; does anyone know?

freitasm

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#640523 14-Jun-2012 09:04

If you call a 1-800 number from New Zealand you are charged a standard intl call - just dial as shown, no prefix needed.

Satch

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#640645 14-Jun-2012 12:31

You can call 1-800 numbers using Skype for free.

surfisup1000

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#640653 14-Jun-2012 12:41

freitasm: AT&T now has a $25 prepaid plan with unlimited calls and SMS - but you need to buy another $25 for 1GB mobile data. Total = US$50 for the package. Available for SIM and microSIM.

You don't have the $25 mobile data option on the cheap plans anymore.

I bought mine last week while there.

So you just walked into an AT&T Store and bought it using your credit card?

Were there any onerous signup requirements such as ID / address checks?

Are you sure AT&T won't bill your credit card again like the previous poster?

I'm going over shortly --- last time I was there I found it difficult to get a sim, the store wanted me to buy a whole phone.

ajobbins

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#640658 14-Jun-2012 12:46

eracode:
I sent them a short email asking for a non 1-800 number and got a crap stock email reply. Clearly it was not going to happen.

You should be able to dial the number as 00 1 800 xxx xxxx from an NZ landline, or just put the number in as + 1 800 xxx xxxx if using a mobile.

You will usually get a message telling you that the call is not free outside of the USA before it is connected.

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old3eyes

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#640669 14-Jun-2012 12:58

profrink:
freitasm: I was told in store the data does not work in smartphones, so I ended up buying $25 + $25 - have you actually used it?

Not personally. However I have talked to quite a few people who have been doing this for a while, residents and travelers.

General conscious has been that so long as you don't have the same smartphone model that AT&T have/do currently stock you can use it. It supposedly does an IMEI check when choosing the plan and since they don't have the IMEI's for international phones, it passes just like a standard handset would. Or you can just chuck in 1 x 15 too...

I'll update if I get it to work.

I was told by a contact of mine in the US that AT&T doesn't only look for the EMEI but the fone type is sent when it registers. This is how they pick up a smartfone has registered without a data plan and they will send you an email telling you as much and then if you don't contact them they will block your fone..

Regards,

Old3eyes

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